Vessel construction



A. McDOUGALL.

VESSEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION man JAN. 20. 1920.

1,356,993. Patented Oct 26,1920.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

ALEXANDER MGDOUGALL, OI DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

VESSEL CONSTRUCTION.

To all w ham it may concern:

GQALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota,-have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vessel Construction, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to ship construction and has special reference to the manner of connecting the edges of the tank top in the hull thereof to the sides of the ship.

The principal object is to make a stronger and more simple union of such parts than heretofore.

Another object is to provide greater protection to the interior of the vessel against rupture of the skin thereof, especially at the bilges.

Other objects and advantages of the peculiar construction will appear in the further description of the invention.

Figure 1 is a thwartship section of one of my improved tank top and side frame connections.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of same.

A Fig. 3 is-a perspective view of one of the filler plates used in forming the connection or union, and

Fig. 4: is a sectional view of a common bilge connection as found in the Fredrickstadt type of vessel.

In the common construction just mentioned the horizontal portion of the tank top terminates at a point some distance inwardly from the side of the ship, is turned down abruptly as at 1 and carried to the bottom plating as at 2, where it is secured to a fore and aft angle 3. All the floor frames are cut at this point and somewhat above the level of the tank top, the side frames 4 are cut as at 5, their lower ends being securely fixed to the gusset plates 6. Then arcuately shaped angle pieces 7 and pieces 8 are also installed for securing the gusset plates to the skin at the bilge and to the inclined termination of the tanktop respectively. The upper edges of the gusset plates are inclined and covered with flooring plank commonly called ceiling and indicated at 9 the upper connection of which with the side of the ship is eventually finished by cementing as at 10.

It is quite evident that this method and structure are very complicated and expensive besides not giving adequate protection 1n the event of damage to thebilge of the vessel whichisv invariably the part first subjectedtodanger of puncturing on occasion of the vessel grounding. There being. no covering of the space adjacent the rounded portion of the bilge other than the ceiling referredto, water coming through the bilge could freely enter the cargo hold.

My improved structure which I "have illustrated in details inxFigs. 1,2 and 3iis shown as applied "to a square bilged vessel and. which is considered a preferred form, though the same may be applied to a ship having a rounded bilge as well, if so desired. v V a The tank top 11 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as extending straight to the inner side of the channel-iron side-frames 12 and to which it is securely fastened by the fore and aft angle bar 13 whichrests flatly upon the edge of the top' 11, riveted thereto and riveted to the sides of the frames 12, the usual painted or leaded canvas being used intermediate of the united parts.

Between the frames 12 is placed the filler plate or shelf 14, it having first had its ends bent at right anglesto the body portion as at 15 and so shaped as to form as tight and convenient fit as possible between the frames, I The upturned ends of the-plate are then riveted to the webs of the. frames, one to the face and one to the back of the respective'frames, each pair of rivets holding the ends of two filler plates to each frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, all joints being provided with suitable packing.

The filler plates are put in level with the tank top one end of each plate resting upon one of the tank top frames 16 thus Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 26,1920. 7 Application filed January 20, 1920., seriai-iv asavoa i providing a rectangularly shaped pocketintermediate of the angle bar 13 and the side of theship thwartships and the frames 1212 fore and aft.

This pocket is then filled with suitable cement or concrete commonly used for such purpose and illustrated at 17. It will be noted that the rivet heads qorojecting from the union of the platewith the frames, into the pockets will add materially to the anchoring of the cement and render it positively secure against dislodgment except when broken into pieces.

By this construction, neither the floor frame, tank top frames nor side frames are cut, but are all securely fastened together,

tened to the side frame, theonly opening remaining and communicating with the hold of the vessel being filled with a piece of plate rigidly fixed intermediate of the frames.

The strength afforded by such rigid filler block is essential and adequate to resist any upward thrust of water in thetank caused either by motion therein or the rush of water outside of the vessel through a rupture, into the tank.

The cement 17 is preferably composed of two layers of material, the lowermost one being of common concretewhich normally sets hard while the upper layer is of a more resilient composition such as resulting from a combination of tar products and concrete which result in a more effective leak proof joint and one less liable to rupture.

Having thus described my invention,'what I claim as new is:

1. The combination in a ships hull construction, including a tank top and side frames, of a filler plate rigidly secured intermediate of the frames and carrying a covering of concrete.

2. The combination with a tank top and side frames of a ships hull, of a filler plate rigidly fixed intermediate of the frames and on a level with the tank top.

3. The combination with the tank top and side frames of a ships hull, of a filler plate intermediate of the frames and forming a continuation of the tank top having its ends turned upwardly and securely riveted to the frames and a body of cement carried by the filler plates and covering the rivet heads which hold it to the frames.

4. The combination with the tank top and side frames of a ships hull, of a filler plate intermediate of the frames and forming a continuation of the tank top, said platehaving its ends bent upwardly and rigidly riveted to the frames, and a fore and aft angle bar riveted to the tank top and to the inner sides of the frames whereby pockets surrounded upon five'sides are formed intermediate of the side frames, edge of the tank top and skin of the ship.

5. A right angle bilge for a ships hull having a double water bottom therein, channel iron side frames and spaced floor frames and tank top frames, the ends of which are securely fastened to the backs of the side frames, of filler plates intermediate of the side frames, on a level with the water bottom, resting on one of the water bottom frames and securely fixed to the side frames, substantially as described.

6. In a bilge construction of the character described including a tank top and side frames, of a fore and aft angle bar fixed to the tank top and securing it to the side frames, filler plates fastened intermediate of the side frames and on a level with the tank top forming pockets thereabove, rivet heads protruding into the pockets and cement filling the pockets and surrounding the rivet heads. a

7. In a vessel of the character described the combination with a tank top and side frames of the hull of the vessel, of pockets formed intermediate of the side frames and adjacent the edge of the tank top, and filling substance within the pockets comprising two layers, the uppermost one of which is more resilient than the other.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER MoDOUGALL.

lVitnesses:

HENRY MAXINER, S. GEO. STEVENS. 

